1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to electrical connectors and, more particularly, to cam levers for injecting and ejecting a connector from another part.
2. Description of Related Art
Electrical connectors for making large numbers of interconnections are used extensively in computers and other similar electronic apparatus. Although there is considerable variation in the known connector sizes, connectors for making 26 or more connections are very common. Each individual connection may be made by inserting a pin or male terminal in a socket or female terminal, or by joining two identical "hermaphroditic" terminals.
Connectors typically include two components: a housing, shroud or shell member and a plurality of pins, sockets, terminals or electrical contact elements. The term housing or shell is typically used to refer to a plastic or metal package for holding a plurality of male, female or hermaphroditic terminals which are connected to the package. The term shroud is used to refer to a plastic or metal package for enclosing or protecting the plurality of male, female or hermaphroditic terminals which are not connected to the package, but, for instance, to a printed circuit board.
A connector may be attached to the end of a multiple conductor cable. Alternatively, a first connector may mechanically and electrically interconnect a backpanel or mother printed circuit or wiring board with a second connector which is mechanically and electrically connected to a daughter printed circuit or wiring board. Since the daughter board or card is typically perpendicular to the mother board, a vertical edge card connector or a right angle connector may be used as the second connector. Many other applications are known to those skilled in the art.
A female connector is a connector typically with female terminals and is commonly referred to as a receptacle. A male connector is a connector typically with male terminals and is commonly referred to as a header.
Although the connector may provide a large number of connections, the spacing between the individual connections is typically relatively small (e.g., approximately 0.1 inches). The overall dimensions of many connector housing members and associated terminals are also relatively small. For example, mating faces of the housing member may measure approximately 0.25 inches by 1.5 inches in a connector for making 26 connections in two parallel rows on 0.1 inch centers.
Considerable force may be required to plug the receptacle into the header in the above-described connectors because of the large number of electrical connections being made simultaneously. For the same reason, considerable force may be required to unplug the receptacle from the header.
It is known to provide ejecting latches on a header for releasably extracting a receptacle from the header. The known latches cooperate with ejection surfaces on the receptacle for separating the receptacle from the header when the latches are deliberately released. This greatly facilitates unplugging the receptacle from the header and eliminates the need for possibly destructive pulling on the relatively small connector contact elements or the components (e.g., cables or printed circuit boards) to which the connector contact elements are attached. See, for instance, U.S. Pat. 4,640,565 and 4,874,319.
The ejecting latches described above are quite useful in ejecting the connectors apart. Some known ejecting latches further hold the connectors together once they are forced together. However, they do not facilitate plugging or inserting the connectors together.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide injecting and ejecting latches for electrical connectors of the type described above.
It is another object of this invention to provide injecting and ejecting latches for electrical connectors which can be easily operated even where there are several closely spaced connectors.